Agriculture

The American holly, Ilex opaca, is celebrated for its berries in shades of red, orange and yellow and its glossy green foliage and perfectly pyramidal shape.

The deciduous holly (Ilex decidua) and the winterberry (Ilex verticillata) lose their leaves but reveal thick clusters of berries along their stems for dramatic effect through much of the winter. Once the berries come ripe enough for the birds to eat in February, they are usually gone in a day.

Jeannie and Leonard Kemper talk about all the reasons they are getting out of the dairy business after 42 years, but their wistful expressions say more than words ever could about how they really feel.

“We've tried to quit probably two or three times, and I'm always the one that backed out,” Jeannie Kemper said. “I kept saying, ‘I'm not ready yet,’ but this time, yeah, I'm really ready.”

When it comes to bulbs, we don’t always meet with consistent success. And before you blame the chipmunks, the girl who mows the grass or the bulb company for their lackluster performances, consider some of the other factors that influence how well flowering bulbs flower.

A Shelby County dairy farm was honored Saturday among the state’s top youth livestock exhibitors during the leading youth livestock exhibitors were honored for their efforts during the 2013 show season at the 10th annual Kentucky Proud Points Luncheon in Frankfort.

White Ridge Dairy in Waddy, owned by the White family, was noted as the top breeder among dairy farms.

Have you ever heard someone say, “All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti?” Have you ever wondered what the difference is?

Well, in the most basic sense cacti are succulents that do not have leaves. However, the mere presence of spines (the prickly part of cacti) is not the sole indicator that a plant is a cactus. The various families are actually determined by flower form (just like the orchid).

Kentucky students can learn about the benefits of local food while competing for prizes in the third annual Farm to School Art Contest, which commemorates Farm to School Week starting Monday.

Contest entries must be mailed by Nov. 15 to Kentucky Farm to School Program coordinator Tina Garland, 107 Corporate Drive, Frankfort, 40601. Winners will be announced at a school food service directors conference in December in Bowling Green.